10-20-2022 - Minutes - HEAB
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
HOUSING ELEMENT ADVISORY
BOARD REPORT
MINUTES OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT ADVISORY BOARD
OCTOBER 20, 2022
The Housing Element Advisory Board of the Town of Los Gatos conducted a Regular Meeting on
October 20, 2022, at 7:00 p.m., via teleconference.
This meeting was conducted utilizing teleconferencing and electronic means consistent with
Government Code Section 54953, as Amended by Assembly Bill 361, in response to the state
of emergency relating to COVID-19 and enabling teleconferencing accommodations by
suspending or waiving specified provisions in the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code §
54950 et seq.). Consistent with AB 361 and Town of Los Gatos Resolution 2021 -044 this
meeting was not physically open to the public and the Advisory Board Member s were
teleconferencing from remote locations. Members of the public were able to participate in
the meeting by joining the Zoom webinar (log in information provided below).
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Melanie Hanssen; Vice Chair Kathryn Janoff; Vice Mayor Maria Ristow; Planning
Commissioner Emily Thomas; Board Member Randi Chen; Board Member Joseph Mannina;
Board Member Adam Mayer; Board Member Steven Piasecki; and Board Member Ryan
Rosenberg.
Absent: Council Member Marico Sayoc; Board Member Todd Jarvis; and Board Member Rob
Moore.
Staff present: Jennifer Armer; Joel Paulson; Jocelyn Shoopman; Erin Walters; and Gabrielle
Whelan.
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
Lee Quintana
The Housing Element, General Plan, SB 9 Ordinance, and Objective Standards are
interconnected which may require changes to each item based on what is approved by
HCD. Recommends adopting each item consecutively after the Housing Element is
certified. Asks the HEAB to recommend this request to the Town Council. Can the SB 9
Ordinance be amended concurrently with adoption of the Housing Element?
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CONSENT ITEMS (TO BE ACTED UPON BY A SINGLE MOTION)
1. Approval of Minutes – September 15, 2022
MOTION: Motion by Board Member Piasecki to approve adoption of the Consent
Calendar. Seconded by Board Member Chen.
VOTE: Motion passed unanimously 9-0.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
2. Review of the Submittal of the Draft Initial Review Housing Element that was submitted to
HCD for Preliminary Review.
Presentation by Jocelyn Shoopman.
Housing Element Advisory Board (HEAB) member’s comments and questions:
1. Explain Implementation Program BF.
2. What is the process to amend the General Plan and Zoning Code for programs BF and
BG?
3. Due to the referendum the Housing Element must utilize the 2020 General Plan Land
Use and Community Design Element densities, and development standards.
4. Town Council adopted a resolution reinstating the 2020 General Plan versions of the
Land Use and Community Design Elements in effect during the suspension of the 2040
General Plan Land Use and Community Design Elements and th e two elements will be
suspended for up to two years; and there are other options moving forward.
5. Town Council provided that no further action will be taken on the General Plan Land Use
and Community Design Elements until the Housing Element is certified.
6. It will be more difficult to meet the Town’s RHNA this cycle and next cycle without the
increase in density proposed in the 2040 General Plan Land Use Element.
7. What will the Town do if HCD does not accept the proposed site inventory and the
program to add a Housing Element Overlay Zone to the specific sites modifying
development standards to meet the Town’s RHNA?
8. Does HCD require a mid-cycle or progress review?
9. What happens if the Town does not meet their RHNA numbers?
10. The Town has control over General Plan designations, Zoning, density, and adding
additional sites if necessary.
11. During the eight-year planning cycle the Town does not have control of the cost of
building materials and market forces.
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12. What is the Housing Element Update timeline and deadlines?
13. How will the SV@Home comments be addressed because the comments were received
after the public comment period deadline?
14. Is the Balancing Act Tool still available on the website?
15. Will all three tiers be included in the site inventory an d require the overlay zone?
16. The public is encouraged to send written comments to staff .
17. The public is encouraged to review the draft Housing Element.
18. Thanks to staff for their efforts in the coordinating with consultants, working with the
Board, preparing the draft, responding to public comments, and understanding there is
more work to do.
19. People who have reviewed the draft document are impressed with the depth and that is
it is more than just the number of housing units.
20. Encourages the public to review the draft Housing Element to understand the policies
and how accessibility and access are really the depth of the document .
21. It is about housing and housing is about people.
22. Encourages the public to spend time reviewing the document and get beyond the
numbers and realize we are talking about human beings and a place to live.
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
Lee Quintana
Concern with the SB 9 language in Section 10.1.4 of the draft document, “This legislation
will enable homeowners to create intergenerational wealth.” This language is not
included in the model ordinance or State guidelines. Questions about SB 9 ministerial
and discretionary review.
Lee Faggot
Thanks to the Committee and staff for their commitment and hard work on this process.
Does not agree with everything, but recognizes the Committee’s hard work on the
Town’s behalf. It sounds like the process will take longer that originally planned.
Richard
Where is a link to the proposed sites inventory map and the sites that may be rezoned?
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ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:07 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of the minutes of the
October 20, 2022, meeting.
/s/Joel Paulson, Director of Community Development